Bell housing pattern

[steveoelo]

I recently picked up a m50d transmission from a salvage yard which I believed came from a 2.9. The truck I pulled it from however was very modified and it was hard to tell what it was. Is there any way to look at the bellhousing and know if it's a 2.9 transmission or a 3.0? I've heard the 3.0 has the starter on the right but I've also been tolled it's on the left. Here's a picture

 

[fangotango306]

if it has 3 starter bolts I think its a 3.0l...my 88 2.9l 5 spd only has 2 starter bolts.

 

[racsan]

3.0 starter is on the left (drivers) side.

 

[adsm08]

That does not look like a Cologne bell. Top two bolts are too far apart, the one at the right of the picture is too far out, and the starter bolt holes... well there are just too many of them.

 

[steveoelo]

So what's the consensus, 2.9 or 3.0?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

It's not a 2.9. I can't say if it's a 3.0 because I've never played with one.

 

[RonD]

Not 2.9l, image here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...9_back.jpg/280px-Ford_Cologne_V6_2.9_back.jpg

It is a 3.0l Vulcan match, image here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/images/3_0-build/3.0build6.jpg

As adsm08 said the top two bolt holes tell the story
2.9l are closer together and on the same horizontal line
3.0l are farther apart and offset slightly

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If the truck had a 2.9 it would have had "2.9" cast in huge letters the length of the intake manifold.

3.0's and 4.0's are not marked anywhere nearly as clearly.